Fold it in half lengthwise and iron it again to create a crease down the middle of the fabric. Measure the four sides of your quilt to determine the length of its perimeter. The first thing I want to cover in how to bind a quilt is how to calculate your fabric requirements for your quilt binding. Once your quilt is quilted it needs to be trimmed in preparation for binding. Continue stitching about an inch over the place where you started. To add mitred corners on quilt binding, use a binding clip to hold the corner, fold the binding back down onto your quilt, aligning the raw edges along the next side. The last step of binding may be done by hand. Refold your binding and finish attaching to the quilt. Trim away the extra fabric triangle on the outside of the seam, leaving ¼” seam allowance. For machine-finished binding, this foot will help you achieve a flawless finish by hiding your final seam from the front. Fold the binding to the back of the quilt, enclosing the raw edges. "Crystal-clear instructions and short videos took me step by step through the process. Continue around the quilt, stopping 8in before the start of the binding. Fabric with a crosswise grain, as opposed to a lengthwise grain, is a sturdier choice for binding. Materials to Bind a Quilt. Quilt on down the side of the quilt maintaining your 1/4 inch seam allowance as best as you can. The wikiHow Video Team also followed the article's instructions and verified that they work. How to Bind Scalloped Edges. Fold the end of the binding strip under at a 45-degree angle at the corner, then laying it flat along the next edge. Get creative with your binding. For hand-finishing binding, invisible thread is the perfect choice, especially if you’re not confident with your stitches. Learn more... Quilts are created when pieces of fabric are cut and sewn together in a pattern and layered with additional padding for warmth. Quilt; Binding Fabric* Marking tool such as a water soluble marker; Rotary Cutter; Quilting Ruler; Cutting Mat; Pins or Wonder Clips; Needle; Thread *Calculating Binding Fabric: If you are sewing from a pattern, it may specify the amount of fabric needed for your binding. You can adjust this width, as needed, for your quilt batting or depending how wide you like your binding to be. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. how to bind a quilt: 12 new quilt binding and FiniShing methodS For Your art quiltS QuiltingArts.coM 1 ©interweave press llc how to Bind A Quilt 12 Quilt Binding Methods. Start sewing your binding leaving an unsewn 8in tail. % of people told us that this article helped them. Cut fabric into 2-1/4-inch-wide strips for binding. How to Calculate How Much Binding. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. 1. Step 1: Cut the fabric for your binding. Steps . Stitch a diagonal line across where the two strips meet. When you get back to where you started, trim the tail, sew over the original binding by around 1 inch, then turn the quilt over and bind the other side. When you get to a corner, fold the strip up, away from the quilt top so that it’s creased at a 45° angle. Stitch this edge down, starting and stopping ¼in from each corner, as before. Quilt Binding can be an easy, fun process you can complete in a day on your home sewing machine so your quilt can be used and enjoyed. Choose the seam allowance that fits the look of your quilt. 12” square) but any larger quilt ruler will do along with a rotary cutter and self-healing cutting mat. Why does the edge of my quilt wrinkle while sewing on binding? Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 84,878 times. Fabric with a crosswise grain, as opposed to a lengthwise grain, is a sturdier choice for binding. Measure the length and width of your quilt. Step 4: Attach the binding to the back of the quilt. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Today I’ll be showing you how to bind your quilt! A 1/4” Piecing foot or a Walking Foot for your machine (This link goes to the ones that fit my machine so you can see them, you’ll want to get one that fits your specific machine.) This little lesson is just what I. . Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. When you reach the corner, miter it. Carefully pivot the quilt in the sewing machine at the corner and continue stitching the next edge of the quilt. Make sure the folded edge covers the stitched seam on the reverse of your quilt by about 1⁄8in. Next, find out how to create and apply piping that adds a pop of color to your binding and instant visual appeal to your quilt. For more tips, including how to make the binding, read on! wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Choose a binding fabric. Again, a split in the fabric won’t travel as far since the grain doesn’t run the length of the fabric. Repeat with all binding strips to create one long piece of binding that measures the quilt perimeter plus about 12 inches. Lay two strips at a right angle with the ends overlapping, so that they form an inverted “L” shape. If you’re using a ¼” seam allowance, stop stitching ¼” from the corner. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. Do this for all of the quilt's edges. 1. Starting at the centre bottom of your quilt and following the traditional or seamed method (see below), attach the double-fold binding with raw edges aligned using a 1⁄4in seam. These will be your mitered corners. Work your way around the quilt until all sides are folded and clipped in place. The folded edge of the binding strip should just cover the stitches visible on the back of the quilt. Repeat steps 1-2 until all four corners are mitred, and finish according to your chosen method (see below). Dive into angled and curved binding, and learn how to apply each for fantastic results. Fold the binding up at a 45 degree angle. After you learn that ZJ Humbach shows you how to bind a quilt by first explaining where to start attaching the binding to the quilt. Senior Technical Editor, Love Patchwork & Quilting magazine. Measure the width of the unfolded binding strip, add this to the length, and trim the strip at this point. Before you can learn how to bind a quilt you must know how to prepare quilt binding. Lay the remaining end of binding over the top, and mark where the strips meet. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Unfold the two ends and place right sides together, so the pieces are at right angles to one another. and sloppily bound. Slipstitch the folds for a tidy finish. The 45-degree angle should be intact under the fold. Okay, next step when learning how to bind a quilt, we are going to round the corner. I've created a three part quilting tutorial to guide you through every step of the process. So you’ve finished making your first quilt sandwich but now you’re wondering how to bind it like a pro? The traditional method is great for small items, such as mini quilts and coasters, while the seamed method gives you a more uniform finish on longer edges. Clip in place. Supplies You Will Need For Quilt Binding; How To Bind a Quilt: A Step by Step Tutorial. Start the Place a pin to hold the edges together. Bias binding strips, with a grain that runs diagonally, are also good for sturdy binding. Lay the binding along the bottom edge of the quilt (starting with the folded point end), ensuring the raw edges of the binding and quilt line up. Rotate the quilt to the next side. When I first learned to quilt, I was really nervous about learning to bind a quilt – and was amazed once I did learn how easy it was to make a really good looking binding. Finishing the First Side. Instead, it will run crosswise and end at the seam where the binding joins the quilt. When your binding strip is long enough, iron it straight and flat. This article details the process for making binding strips and using them to bind your quilt. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Clip in place. Align the unfolded raw edge with your quilt and stitch down 3-5in. Cutting the Fabric to Finish your Quilt: I like to do a double binding on my quilts – meaning there are two layers to the binding edge. SAVE up to 82% on your first 3 issues when you subscribe! Thank you. Pin … Well, here we go again! We use cookies to make wikiHow great. You should have excess backing and batting that needs to be removed.2. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. To start off, unfold one end of your binding, trim at a 45-degree angle and press under by ½in along the short edge. When you reach a corner, put the needle down and pivot before sewing the next side. Pinch the miter in place as you carefully move the quilt back to your sewing machine. If you’ve never tried this method before, we’ll show you all the steps of binding a quilt, with step-by-step photos, a video guide and a starter project to get you practising your new skills! Part 1 of 3: Finding the Perimeter of the Quilt. After completing the detailed process of sewing a quilt (see How to Make a Quilt) the last step is to bind the edges with fabric to give your quilt a “finished” look. To self-bind a quilt, you cut the backing fabric a couple of inches larger than the batting and top on all sides – large enough to allow for however much backing fabric you want to show on the front of the quilt. Finish stitching past the raw edge, making sure you sew down both the start and end of the binding. Tuck this end into the folded binding at the start and pin in place. And not hard… there’s a trick! By using our site, you agree to our. If not, use the below equation to determine the amount of fabric needed. Read our magazines on your phone, tablet or computer. Trim the seam to ¼in and finger press open. This will catch down the folded edge of binding on the back, while giving you an invisible line of stitching on the front. Fold the binding back down keeping the folded edges in line. How to Bind a Quilt. Before you bind, you need to somehow “quilt” your quilt. Trim the strip at about the halfway point of the unstitched edge, cutting the strip straight. Lay the quilt top side up, and stitch in the ditch along the seam of the binding. Otherwise, choose a thread that matches the colour of your binding. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Remove the quilt from your machine, and fold the binding up, away from the quilt, at a 90-degree angle. Check to make sure that none of the seams on the binding strips are in the … Draw a 45-degree diagonal line across one end and sew along the drawn line. I usually machine quilt (or have someone else do it) my quilts these days. Then fold it back down against the next edge of your quilt top. To finish off, trim the end of the binding so it overlaps the beginning folded edge by about 1in. Binding clips are a lot easier to use than pins because they easily clip over the multiple layers used in binding. Adjust the quilt as needed to ensure your seam is straight. Pin the strips at the outer corner using a straight pin. You will just need your quilt, a ruler or measuring tape, and a calculator to figure out your fabric needs for quilt binding. Lower the needle directly … Learn how to bind your quilts at the corners of your quilts…the tricky part. The equation is … I spent many dollars on the, "I'm off to bind my first quilt. You could also machine stitch to finish, using a ditch quilting foot. She explains that you should start along one of the long edges of the quilt around the center. You can use many different fabrics if you want to create a “crazy quilt” effect. To bind your quilt you’ll need the following supplies: Fabric: I like to use 2.5” binding strips, and I use the Quilters Paradise binding calculator to figure out how much binding I need to make. End your line of stitching 1⁄4in from the first corner of the quilt. 1. Backstitch a few centimeters and cut the threads. The most common seam allowance is ¼”. How to Bind a Quilt with Mitered Corners. To do this, fold the long end of the binding up so it runs parallel with the second edge of the quilt. For more tips, including how to make the binding, read on! consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Are you ready to make a long piece of binding and finish the edges of your quilt? Instead of using your sewing machine to complete the binding on the back side of your quilt, use a whipstitch to finish it off. Every day at wikiHow, we work hard to give you access to instructions and information that will help you live a better life, whether it's keeping you safer, healthier, or improving your well-being. This is a longish video for me – but it shows you in tremendous detail how I bind a quilt. How to Bind a Quilt. With your quilt face up, stitch in the ditch between your quilt and binding. ", need to finish my quilt! This article has been viewed 84,878 times. Keep in mind you’ll be cutting the fabric into strips that will then be folded in half. let’s face it: Conceptualizing and making an art quilt is fun. Your support helps wikiHow to create more in-depth illustrated articles and videos and to share our trusted brand of instructional content with millions of people all over the world. Envision the way you want your finished quilt to look as you make your fabric choice. The raw edge of the binding should stay in line with the raw edge of the quilt. The instructions in this quilt binding tutorial show you how to make and bind a quilt with  double-fold binding. Guide your quilt carefully and stitch slowly. Binding a quilt is the final step in finishing. Clip the fabric in place. Set the binding seam by pressing your stitching in place. So if you are using a 2½in strip, the two binding ends should overlap by 2½in. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Trim and square up the edges of your quilt. Use your fingers to press the corner down and to the right, and then fold it back on itself (to the left) to make a mitered corner. You won’t find me being judgemental about many things – but I’m pretty dang picky about quilt bindings. Continue attaching more strips in this fashion until you have one long strip. There are good tutorials for that here, here, and here. To bind your quilt, begin sewing about 3 inches from the end of the binding. Binding a quilt by machine – the easy peasy way, Best kids’ drawing and activity tables for craft, How to sew patchwork squares together: speedy method, How to use quilting stencils + machine quilting tips, Beginners Guide to English Paper Piecing Diamonds. To make double-fold binding, you simply need one long strip of fabric, pressed in half lengthways, with wrong sides together. Clip your binding in place along this entire edge. Refold the binding and continue stitching at the point where you left off. It helps to use a large square quilt ruler for this (e.g. Backstitch a few stitches to secure. In a bias binding you can sometimes pull the binding too tightly (because the bias stretches ) and it can get mis-shapen on the quilt. We used a contrasting thread here so that you can see the stitches, but if you choose a thread that matches your binding, the stitches will blend right in. Before you begin, read our guide to how to make binding for a quilt or watch our quilt binding tutorial video below. If your quilt already has a built-in border, you may want thinner binding. Line your binding strip up around the edges of your quilt. This means to attach the front and back, with batting in between. 2. Pull the top strip down so the two strips form a straight line. Step 2: Sew strips together and iron. Now we’ll show you two ways to start and finish your binding. The binding edge should be in line with the quilt’s edge. All that work! Join two strips by placing ends right sides together and sewing at a 90-degree angle. You’ll need twelve to fifteen extra inches of binding material. For the neatest of finishes on your patchwork projects, it has to be a double-fold quilt binding. Fold the first corner of the binding over to form an angle. Flip the quilt over and begin pressing the binding to the reverse, extending this fold all the way to the end of the binding along one side. Amid the current public health and economic crises, when the world is shifting dramatically and we are all learning and adapting to changes in daily life, people need wikiHow more than ever. For example, my quilt measures 56″ x 70″. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Sew each edge and corner of the quilt in this manner. You can bind your quilt with bias binding (I do both depending on the quilt) but I have found that straight bindings are easier if you have never done it before. When you get close to a corner take a second to stop because we don’t want to just sew off the edge. Continue all the way around your quilt top. Then I will have to figure out the labeling.". Then add an extra 10 inches to deal with seams and corners. Trim seam allowance to 1/4 inch; press open. Try 3 issues of Love Patchwork & Quilting for £5. quilt and quilting, and I was stymied by the binding until I saw this amazing article. With the quilt top face up, press the binding away from the quilt, working one edge at a time. Whether you’re brand new to quilt making and aren’t sure where to start, or it’s been a while and you want a refresher, read on for our easy guide to binding a quilt with mitred corners. It kills me when I see a quilt that’s beautifully pieced, meticulously quilted. Prairie points. The most common width for your binding strips is 2½in, which allows for about 3⁄8in of quilt thickness. Tested. Fold the binding down, leaving the top of the fold flush with the edge of the quilt top behind it and its raw edge aligned with the next side of the quilt. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. Last Updated: March 28, 2019 {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/3f\/Bind-a-Quilt-Step-1-Version-4.jpg\/v4-460px-Bind-a-Quilt-Step-1-Version-4.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/3f\/Bind-a-Quilt-Step-1-Version-4.jpg\/aid1569075-v4-728px-Bind-a-Quilt-Step-1-Version-4.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":259,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":410,"licensing":"